Birth Philosophy – Part 1

With just two weeks to go before baby #2, I thought I should get around to writing a post I’ve been talking about for a long while.

A few friends have asked me to share in more detail why I take certain positions about the “best way” to give birth. I am happy to share what I have learned and I hope that all of my pregnant (and soon-to-be pregnant) friends will be encouraged no matter where they stand now on the spectrum of beliefs about birth.

We all have biases and assumptions that affect our thought in pregnancy and giving birth. “Labor is overwhelmingly painful,” “labor is very dangerous,” and “women are physically weak” are some examples of thoughts we might have (whether or not we acknowledge them). I firmly believe these thoughts make a difference in our experience, so let me share with you the perspective I am coming from:

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1. God, our loving Creator, designed our bodies in intricate detail and has prepared us to create, bring forth, and sustain life. “This is what the Lord says – your Redeemer who formed you in the womb: I am the Lord, who has made all things, who along stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself.” Isaiah 44:24 and “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart. Do not be afraid… for I am with you… declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 1:5 &8

2. This is a fallen world. When sin entered the world, along with illness, pain, and emotions like fear, our experience of giving birth changed. Read Genesis 3

3. God is still sovereign. While our bodies are no longer perfect and we no longer live in perfect communion with our source of Wisdom, He is still providing for us and we can trust Him. “And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 and “I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.” Psalm 34:4-5

4. We are still designed to fulfill God’s command to fill the earth with our precious little ones through pregnancy and birth. It’s a high calling to be taken seriously and prayerfully with reverence to the One who makes it all possible. “Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children are a reward from Him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.” Psalm 127:3-5

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I believe that the strength of my (and my husband’s) convictions on these things leads to strong convictions about the resulting implications and practical applications. That’s what I want to sort through for you. I also want to share with you all of the great resources and encouragements I have learned from along the way.

I am going to break this up into at least two parts so that I will 1) Have time to really evaluate what I am writing, 2) get your feedback and answer your questions, 3) not overwhelm you with lots of writing (not me! Never!). Leave a comment or email me if you want me to address anything specifically (especially if you know me and have observed me taking actions that confuse you or have heard me talk about things that you’d like more explanation of). Look for part two early next week after our big weekend of moving Bob to his own apartment has past. :)

Update: Here is part 2 and part 3!